The Washington Post, reluctantly getting off the sofa with a grunt to copy ‘n paste a story from the Honolulu newspaper, tells us:

A State Department special agent charged with murder in the shooting of a man at a fast-food restaurant in Waikiki last year spent the night bar-hopping and drinking before going to the restaurant, prosecutors said.

Suspect Christopher Deedy appeared intoxicated before firing three shots from his handgun — the first narrowly missed a customer, another lodged in a restaurant wall, and the third fatally wounded 23-year-old Kollin Elderts, prosecutors said in court papers.

Deedy was not heard identifying himself as a law enforcement officer, but told Elderts he had a gun and would shoot him in the face, prosecutors said in the most detailed account of the shooting released thus far.

Deedy had been “slurring his words as he argued with Elderts… While defendant was bar-hopping he was in possession of his 9 mm Glock, conduct that the Department of State’s rules clearly prohibit,” the prosecutor said.

I’ve been to that actual Waikiki McDonald’s (albeit sober and unarmed), and it is not a large place. Small, in fact, as fast food places go. Given that Deedy and the deceased were close enough that Deedy could kick him, it is very curious that a “Special” Agent could ripple off three shots and only get one hit. That is some pretty lousy shooting, at near point blank range. One is left to wonder if indeed Deedy was just a bad shot (not a bad assumption given that he was trained by the State Department), or perhaps something (too many Shamrock shakes?) might have impaired his aim.

Well, the whole damn thing is on a surveillance video tape we can’t see, so this is mindless speculation. If Deedy ever goes to trial (I think the case is scheduled now for April 2013, following the Mayan apocalypse) perhaps we the public will see what the refs think of the taped replay.

With his trial now being postponed until at least September 10, 2012 (some ten months after the November 2011 shooting), State Department Diplomatic Security “Special” Agent Chris Deedy has had the conditions of his bail modified to allow him to leave Hawaii, return to Virginia and continue work at the State Department. The man he allegedly shot is still allegedly dead.

According to local news in Hawaii, Deedy will not return to his normal work as a Special Agent, but will continue working for the Department at a “desk job.” He is not permitted to carry a weapon and must also stay within a 100 mile radius of his Northern Virginia home.

Deedy’s lawyer states that he acted in self defense of himself and others when he allegedly shot and killed unarmed local Hawaiian guy Kollin Edlerts at a Waikiki McDonald’s. A separate civil suit is being filed against Deedy by Elderts’ family.

In its print-only edition, the Honolulu Star Advertiser quoted Deedy’s attorney as saying his client has the “complete support of the State Department.” He also explained that his client’s bond was posted by the equity in his parents’ $455,000 home, and that Deedy has educational loans totaling $85,000, which were cosigned by his sister and aunt, who would be left with the debt if Deedy fled. The lawyer, in arguing for the change in bail conditions, said Deedy cannot afford to pay the $1400 monthly rent for his Virginia home and his current $900 a month rent for a one-bedroom unit in a hotel-condominium building in Honolulu. Deedy’s most significant asset, the lawyer said of his client, is a 2001 auto worth about $1800. Deedy has has worked about 2.5 years at State.

So, let’s ask some questions:

1) There exists a security camera video of the shooting, which presumably would make it pretty clear what happened in McDonald’s that night. Honolulu cops used the tape to charge Deedy with Second Degree Murder. Why is a trial not underway now, already some two months after the shooting, and why won’t a trial commence until September, almost ten months after the shooting? Is this the normal pace of things in laid-back Hawaii? Or time for the civil suit to play out, ending with an NDA and charges dropped in return for $$$?

2) Apparently you can be charged with Second Degree Murder and still work at a desk for State’s Diplomatic Security as long as you don’t peak at Wikileaks. That’d be a real killer.

3) Apparently you can be charged with Second Degree Murder and still enjoy the “complete support of the State Department.” That support includes Diplomatic Security “do[ing] what we can to ensure Agent Deedy’s well-being, and have already provided assistance to his family” and sending out a helpful memo to all staff ahead of any discovery requests, cheerfully reminding them that “all written communications, on either government or private accounts, may be subject to discovery in legal proceedings relating to this incident.”

4) Apparently you can work 2.5 years for State’s Diplomatic Security, be $85k in debt, not be able to make your own bail on a murder rap and count an 11 year old car worth $1800 bucks as your most significant asset and still hold a security clearance and carry a gun on behalf of State. No questions asked? Maybe like about judgement and suitability?

5) And how’s the lawyer getting paid? Air travel from Hawaii? Per diem? How much State Department money is involved here?